Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #177

08-14-15  Gaea Star Crystal Radio Hour #177 is recorded live at Singing Brook Studio in Worthington, Massachusetts and today Mariam, Craig and Bob, the Gaea Star Band, welcome very special guest Gino Cicchetti from Rhode Island adding amazing mandolin and acoustic 12 string to a series of compelling songs and improvisations.  We begin with “Vitality” a dramatic piece driven by a fine performance from Craig Harris on marimbas that segues into “Ode To Greece”, a lovely, stately and spacious improv that follows the lead of Mariam’s singular prayer of hope for Greece in a time of social and financial challenges.  Gino excels with a singular style of slide mandolin that evokes the Grecian islands. Today’s central piece is the epic “Mermaids In The River”, a song from Mariam about July 12^th’s anti-pipeline all-day event at Singing Bridge that sweeps in with Mariam’s nostalgic ukelele and Gino’s ragtime mandolin.  A long, playful, evocative first theme gives way to a spacious bridge and a driving salsa blues workout from the band before floating away with a pretty and classic-sounding vamp.  “Currency” is an eastern raga-inflected modal meditation that has Gino picking up the Martin 12-string for some compelling, edgy lead work that is complimented by Craig’s heartbeat congas and Bob’s exploratory, shifting piano.  An unusual, jarring piano motif gradually arises and we shift into a driving and suspenseful jam that gives way to Gino’s fiery 12-string licks.  We finish with “The Kalimba Song” which features Gino shifting to said instrument as Mariam digs in with the always-compelling native flute.